little white truths

For more information, see Klara Cosmetics website. Also available in the Bellabox shop.

See above wrist swatches and below lip swatches. Presumably I don't need to point out which is the pink and which is the burgundy hehe.

These go on quite creamily and dry to matte in around a minute. You'll see above that the pink is in the dried/matte phase, while the burgundy below is freshly applied and still slightly dewy.

As you can see I've slightly muffed the application of both (didn't quite get my lip lines(!) and probably should have used a lip brush, rather than the applicator). 

But I've left the photos as is because they show the products well (and true to colour), and also show that you do need to be careful with application - I ALWAYS struggle to get the lines exactly right with these when I use the product's applicator. 

Because they are so pigmented and stick to the spot, you can't press your lips together once they're dry and move 'em around to get the lines nice as you might with a normal lipstick, so just be aware of that. Klara wasn't lying when they called these pigmented, yes?!

Verdict

Do these live up to their claims? Yes. Super pigmented and they don't feather. As for the whole kiss-proof thing, I do find these come off when I eat etc but they certainly fare better than most. 

Importantly, I've found that they don't always pair well with a gloss (which, as mentioned, I need to wear over the top because I don't like drying lip products: not all matte products are drying (eg Lime Crime's range), but these are on me). What happens when you add a gloss is that they 'separate', become patchy and move around. They also transfer. So do be careful of that one and if you're like me and can't handle the dry feel, then play around with different glosses/creamy lippies to see if any work better than others when applied over the top.

Also, definitely prepare and buff your lips before using these, because they will cling to and highlight any dry patches. As mentioned, you may also find it easier to apply them if you use a lip brush instead of the applicator - particularly because the applicator can result in uneven patches of product, with some areas covered by more product than others, especially around the edges of your lips.

My verdict on these is an objective one: they're too drying for me but they'd be absolutely fine for most to wear on their own. They do live up to their claims in terms of pigment and lasting-power (though I'm not sure they'll last for a full 24 hours - I certainly wouldn't be trying to wear them for that long!) and they're absolutely worth a try if matte, look-at-me lips are your thing.

A great product overall.